Fallen Hearts Lifted Skyward
by The Genius Mage
Summary: Giftfic,Terqua,BBS spoilers, though not end-game ones. Brooding alone on Destiny Islands, Terra runs into Aqua and learns the importance of an intertwned destiny. It meant someone would always be there for you, especially if a fallen heart needed lifting.


~*_Fallen Hearts Lifted Skyward*~_

_She willed herself to believe that his reassurances were not simply empty lies..._

_~***~_

_Musical Inspiration: Destiny Islands (Kingdom Hearts II)_

_~***~_

**D e s t i n y I s l a n d s** was a beautiful place, or so Terra thought.

It radiated a certain…tranquility. It was comforting, and it wasn't hard for one to believe that they could find a home here amidst the green palm trees and the white sand, and _especially_ the crashing murmur of the sapphire waves. It was a gorgeous world, different than any other beach, and it was here that the elder Keybearer had retired to rest.

He knew he had places to go, things to do, and a certain Master's words were ringing in his ears.

_Master Terra…_

He wasn't a Master, though. Xehanort could call him what he wanted, but it wouldn't be the same if _Eraqus_ didn't bestow the title upon him. That's how it felt, anyway.

Standing just above the tide line, watching the water surge back and forth, lightly brushing his metal boots, Terra bowed his head and closed his dark blue eyes. Hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, pondering about the chain of events that had led him to this spot in time.

"It's a prison here."

Terra gasped and opened his eyes, mentally berating himself for allowing anyone to sneak up on him. He whirled around, summoning his Keyblade in a rotating, digital swirl of green. He relaxed as he recognized the small, six-year-old boy before him. Riku, with his overpowering aura of _pureness_.

Dismissing his weapon, he turned wordlessly back to the ocean. _The bad thing about purity is that it's far too easy to taint…_

At last, he asked Riku, "How so?"

He sensed Riku stride to his side, his footsteps inaudible. Terra wondered if it was something he was doing on purpose, or if he just had the talents of a warrior.

Or maybe it was just because he was a child walking slowly on a beach, with the wind and waves and seagulls and palm trees all creating a clamor, and that was why he simply could not be heard.

"Do you see?" Riku queried, pointing towards the horizon. The sun was beginning to dip towards the water, probably dreading its daily drowning. As of yet, it was not blazing red or orange. It was still a vibrant yellow-gold, and it was creating a pattern of rectangular, shifting shapes of light on the ocean's surface.

"I see," Terra replied evenly, not sure where he was going.

The boy that, in honesty, acted far too serious for such a young kid, frowned and crossed his arms. Terra saw traces of himself in his features, and he felt his heart constrict. He still recalled how Eraqus had told him about the Keybearers and his role in them, now that it had been proven that he could wield a Keyblade…

Riku sighed. "You know what I see, Mister?"

"I don't."

"I see prison bars."

Terra narrowed his eyes at that, and the longer he stared, the more that slits of sunbeams on the sea appeared to be exactly that: prison bars surrounding the islands.

"You're right," he told the silver-haired youth. "But are they keeping you in, or something out?"

Frowning, Riku let his arms hang free at his sides. "I dunno," he murmured, his cerulean gaze becoming unfocused as he considered his words.

"When you do know, that's when I'll be back. But I'm not taking you world traveling yet," Terra informed the boy with a small smile.

Riku shrugged, turning around. "I've got to go. Will you still be here?"

"Probably not. But I promise I'll return one day. And remember what I showed you?"

"It's a secret, right." He nodded, grinning in response, before racing off.

Terra waited until he vanished beyond the docks and his small form became only a shadowy silhouette as he moved farther down the beach. Then he just stared out into the sky some more, almost as if he could will himself to see beyond its lengths.

_What's beyond here, when the sky ends? What's past that next sky? Maybe Riku is right, and this entire world is a prison, surrounded by water…Destiny Islands might be the only inhabited portion of this entire planet. This place could be an almost endless ocean._

He appreciated the distraction from his darker thoughts, and he settled into this new train of contemplation, studiously exploring his knowledge of the worlds.

That is, until he heard footsteps _thump-thump-thumping _above his head. Terra glanced up, and then he froze in shock as he recognized the girl walking along there.

She must have been following the little boy that was racing ahead of her, and the both of them most likely emerged from the old wooden hut that acted as a passing point from the sand to the raised cliff with its bent tree. Terra said nothing, since she didn't once look down at him; too busy listening to the child with the spiky brown hair.

"So, my mom, she said I can only share this paopu with someone _re-e-eally _important, right?"

"That's right," Aqua agreed, and the sound of her voice made him smile. She sounded like his mother herself.

Terra saw the boy—he had seen him with Riku before, they were friends, those two—grinned hugely, holding one of the star-shaped yellow fruits with the green tassel that he had noticed earlier. It grew only on that odd twisted tree with its thick trunk.

"I thought I'd show you, though. You can take it with you, wherever you're going, and you know what?"

"What?" Aqua sounded genuinely interested, and knowing her, she was.

"I think _you_—"Sora dragged the word out like a string of bubblegum. "Should have it, for when you run into someone _re-e-eally _important of your own. It's a gift so you can come back and tell me 'bout your adventures and stuff!"

"That's really nice of you, Sora," she answered slowly. "But I kind of have my own."

"You have _paopus_ where you're from?"

"I made some, put a spell on it, and gave it to my friends. See?"

Terra glimpsed a flash of sapphire as Aqua drew her good luck star pendant, and Sora cooed in amazement.

One hand curled around its red counterpart in his pocket.

"That's awesome. But you can always take one, if you want, okay? Now, Riku and I have to go. See you around, Aqua!"

"Good bye, Sora."

The kid that was so much like Ventus pelted away like a hare across the bridge, down the steps of the weatherworn shack, and passed Terra with a cheery, "Heya there, Mister!"

"Mister…?" Aqua asked aloud, puzzled. He met her eyes as she stepped to the edge of the bridge and looked down at him. Her gaze immediately brightened, and a soft smile graced her features. "Terra."

"There you are! Our parents are gonna kill us, Sora. Let's go!" He heard Riku order Sora near the docks.

"I was just talking with _Aqua_, jeesh. Gimme a break, Riku!"

There was a splash as both boys leapt into their rowboat and started heading away from the play island to the mainland, and Terra knew that he was alone with Aqua.

He was motionless as he listened to the rustling of the beach as the female Keybearer approached. Remembering that she was on orders from Master Eraqus to basically _spy_ on him, he gritted his teeth.

What hurt the most was that she was here for good reasons.

"Terra!" Aqua stopped right before him, beaming brightly. "I can't believe I found you again."

He turned partially away, wondering if he should just leave. He didn't know if he wanted to deal with her over abundant energy right now. "Aqua. What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you…and Ven."

"Ven…" Staring down at his hand, Terra gazed steadily at the scarlet good luck charm.

"You have no idea—"

"How happy you are, I know. And I do."

Aqua closed her mouth slowly from when she had opened it to finish her sentence. She drew her fingers into a fist over her heart, breathing slowly, in and out. Waiting.

"Those kids," said Terra, simply to break the silence that was approaching an uncomfortable level.

"Yeah. I've never seen such pure children, except, maybe…in Radiant Garden…"

"Who?"

"A girl. Her name was Kairi. She had so much _light_, Terra." Aqua explained, her eyes distant, pensive.

"…Right. I trust you on that." He decided not to tell her about his pact with Riku. She'd find out sooner or later when he came back to take him as his apprentice, and besides, the ceremony was a rather personal topic.

For all he knew, Ven had been here already and "touched" Sora, and Aqua had done the same with Kairi.

"Are you still mad at me?" Aqua murmured quietly.

Terra drew a sharp breath, and then released it, slowly. "No. I guess not."

"Why don't you look at me, then?"

Reluctantly, he faced her, and she was closer than he had expected. He took a step back, and the tide swirled around the soles of his shoes. The scent of salt and water lingered in his nose every time he exhaled.

"I'm sorry, Terra."

"It's not a big deal," he grunted. Unwilling to talk with her, since he was still a little hurt that Eraqus had sent her to _spy_, he crossed his arms.

"Don't shut me out," Aqua warned. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing. Don't worry about it, I'll deal with it." His response was stiff.

Aqua rolled her eyes before closing them and smiling affectionately, as if at a private joke. "Come on." She took his hand and led him towards the beaten shed. He silently followed, curious despite himself, unwilling to go the other way with her familiar, comforting presence so close.

Because, before he knew Ven, she had been his first real friend. And without anger and indignation and yes, even the Darkness, his thoughts were clear. And the invisible bond between them held him at her side.

_Maybe…her star trinkets really _are_ working. Maybe that's our destiny I'm feeling. I wonder if Ven can sense it too._

She took him to sit on the heavily hunched tree, with its wide, scaly brown trunk. Terra refused to climb onto it; instead, he leaned his back against its wide side and crossed his arms again. Aqua sighed in something like annoyance and amusement, positioning herself comfortably to his left. The added height of the paopu tree put her a little above his head, but only just a bit.

"This world is magical," she told him quietly.

Terra watched the sun dip towards the sea, and he imagined it screaming as it was dragged down into its merciless depths as the ocean became crimson with its blood…

Shaking off such morbid thoughts, he said intelligently, "Huh?"

"Destiny Islands. I just love it here." He heard the soft scrape of her nails against the bark.

"Hm. Would you live here?"

"Only if that's where you and Ven are."

"Right." His shadow-blue eyes moved to her own azure. "Same with me. After all of this, though, we'll probably be traveling. I bet Ven would want to see all the worlds out there. Me too."

"And only after Ven's a Master. Would you let me make you a Master right now, Terra?"

Indignant, he turned on his heel and stalked off down the bridge. "I don't need your help in becoming a Master." _I'm one already. _"I'll see you later, Aqua."

He froze, horror spreading its cold talons into his heart and latching on firmly as he heard a terrible sound behind him.

It was the sound of Aqua cutting off a sob.

Immediately, Terra hurried back to her. "I'm sorry," he pleaded repeatedly. "I'm just really stressed right now and my temper is so short and—"

Aqua was trying to avoid his gaze, sinking to the ground beside the paopu tree and resting against it. She kept trying to fight her tears back, but he saw their silvery veil obscuring her eyes. "Why did I say that? I mess _everything_ up." She sighed, frustrated. He found himself wondering what other problems she had run into.

Terra crouched beside her, and then settled into a sitting position, hesitantly wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her to his side. He used to hug her for comfort all the time when they were younger, before adolescence seared his thoughts with embarrassment.

"I'm just being stupid. You didn't say anything wrong."

She took in a rattling breath that ending with a small gasp. Aqua wiped one hand over her face, and her long white sleeves obliterated any tears. "So emotional…" she chuckled softly.

"How's Ven?" Terra was glad for their young friend at that moment, because he provided a safe topic that would never be awkward to talk about.

"He's doing great. He's so…strong and brave now. He's not a little kid anymore."

"He never really was, even when we first met him." Grimacing, he recalled the soulless black-blue stare that Ventus had once bore, and the bloodcurdling scream that had ripped from his mouth after his first few words. The faint he had dropped into had once convinced Terra that he had died on the spot…

_The Darkness must be messing my thoughts up!_

Aqua buried her face in his chest, wrapping her arms around him and breathing in deeply. Terra was too surprised to move. Her clothes carried the spicy-sweet smell of the paopu tree she had been sitting on, and he could almost _taste_ it on his tongue as a warm aroma that bathed the back of his mouth.

He returned the embrace, and they sat that way for a long while. It was only when a drowsy gray void began nibbling at the edges of his conscious that Terra realized he was almost asleep. He opened his eyes and stared out into the black, starlit night. The ocean roared particularly loud at the instant, and he felt Aqua stir in his arms.

They had fallen asleep. Which was understandable since they hadn't had any time to rest in God knew when. When she lifted her head, Terra brushed her light blue hair behind her ears and tucked it securely there. "Looks like we…"

"Did we fall asleep?" Aqua asked quietly, sounding surprised. Her eyes had a silver glint to them, thanks to the combined force of the celestial objects above.

"…Yeah." Standing, he didn't release her, and she didn't look away either.

"Best sleep I've had in ages," she joked in a teasing whisper.

He smirked at her. "Keyblade Masters should be trying to get all the rest they can."

Aqua stuck her tongue out teasingly. "How can we, since we're looking for crazy apprentices that don't go home when they should?"

"That's Ven!" Terra objected playfully, leaning his forehead against hers and staring into her eyes.

She appeared a little shocked by his boldness, but otherwise, she didn't react. "Okay, but you're not making my job any easier."

He felt, to his astonishment, her dig her nails into his shirt, clenching his shoulder, as if in anticipation. "Let's see if this helps," he said. Summoning all of his courage, Terra pressed his lips to hers.

Aqua's eyes jumped wide open in shock—they had been pretty heavily lidded at first—but the action was pointless since she just closed them anyway. He cupped one side of her face as gently as he could, and he felt her other hand swirl a slow pattern on his back. Every touch of her against his skin felt like sunlight, warm and strong, sinking deep into his body.

Neither of them had kissed before, or at least, Terra himself hadn't. Regardless he found it was a more instinctive thing, and he trailed his tongue slowly against hers, once, just to see what she did.

He heard her gasp and she gripped him as if he was the only solid thing in the world, her breaths quickening. Terra pulled away from her, fighting his nervousness, to lightly caress the sensitive skin on the side of her neck with his mouth. He retreated then, still holding her close, hoping he hadn't gotten her angry.

"Definitely not making my job any easier," Aqua mumbled, her face bright pink. But she didn't look infuriated, at least.

Terra laughed before removing his arms from her slim form. Aqua suddenly reached past him and grabbed one of the bright yellow paopu from their sacred haven at the end of the tree. She held it in front of her, smiling shyly.

"I…do you…"

He put his hand over hers, and he was only a little shocked by the scars that crisscrossed his skin. Hers had healed perfectly, if she had ever had any. "What?"

"Sora said the paopu will intertwine the destinies of the two people that share it. I know I tried to make one, but…" Aqua trailed off, and Terra shook his head, taking it and dropping it at their feet.

"I'd take your lucky charms over a piece of fruit any day. Especially since they're already working."

~***~

_**This story is dedicated to Aqua StormXIV, since she requested it. I hope you like it! I decided to add a kissing scene in since you said have romance in it, and it's not real romance without a kissing scene, hehe.**_

_**To everyone else, tell me what you think! Sorry if I messed the BBS plotline up a bit with this.**_


End file.
